


Okay

by RingingSilence



Category: Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, References to Depression, allusions to Endgame spoilers, although not explicitly stated, because they happen and that's okay, if you know you know, minor depression relapses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2020-06-23 18:42:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19707238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RingingSilence/pseuds/RingingSilence
Summary: "Did you need something?"Scratch his earlier thought. If anything good had come out of his getting super powers, it was this. "No! No, I didn't need anything. I just...wanted to check in is all. Yeah..."Hurting, Peter accidentally reaches out to Tony.





	Okay

It wasn't much just yet; a telltale weight, an ache in the center of his chest. He tried to remind himself not to panic. Even if the Weight opened up into the Void he just had to keep calm and let himself feel it, not freak out and shut the feeling down. That's what would turn him into a zombie: less pain, but no other feelings either. Just exhaustion and a disinterest that used to plague him. 

Distractions. Distractions helped, something to keep him from feeding the Weight until it imploded and started tearing at the brittle edges of his heart. Ned was great for that; always up for a game or movie marathon. Aunt May, too, who'd sit with him while they pulled apart Episode IV for the five-billionth time. 

Barely looking, he pulled out his phone and blindly dialed a number. He sat kicking his feet above the drop-off while he listened to it ring, watching the lights of cars and streetlights twinkling in the distance. If there was one benefit to the spider powers it was the great views he got to see.

_"Hey, Parker. What's up?"_

He jumped. "M-Mr. Stark! Um, hi! I'm not bothering you, am I?"

A distracted hum trickled across the line. _"I was just working on a project. Did you need something?"_

Scratch his earlier thought. If anything good had come out of his getting super powers, it was this. "No! No, I didn't need anything. I just...wanted to check in is all. Yeah..."

The distant rustle of equipment in the background paused. _"You alright, kid?"_

"M'Fine!" He tried to shoot back cheerfully, but his voice cracked on the word. "I just wanted to see, y'know, how you're doing and stuff. I didn't mean to disturb you. I'll just call again later or something."

 _"Parker."_ Mr. Stark's voice cut through his embarrassed chatter. _"Why don't you swing by the workshop for a minute? I have some upgrades I wanted to make to your suit, anyway."_

"Really?" He stammered, already half-way to his feet. "I wouldn't want to distract you..."

_"Friday will let you in. C'mon, kid. Time's wasting."_

"Okay, okay! Give me ten minutes!"

In a flash he was swinging towards the Avengers Tower, cutting through the Manhattan skyline like a burning knife. He'd barely landed on the balcony before the doors hissed open and he tentatively stepped into Tony Stark's lab. The man was sitting at a workbench, back to him as he tinkered. Before Peter could do more than consider leaving, Friday's steady voice announced: "Mr. Parker has arrived, sir."

Mr. Stark twisted in his seat to glance over his shoulder, barely glancing at Peter before turning back to his task. "There you are, Parker. Pull up a chair."

Seeing no other unoccupied seats in the lab, he hesitantly took the open end of the bench his mentor was sitting at. The scientist appeared to be making alterations to an Iron Man helmet, except it was blue instead of red and more slimly-built. Peter watched him work silently, jumping when the man spoke again.

"So, what's up? Anything happen I should know about?"

"No, it's nothing. Just the usual small-time stuff: purse-snatchers, muggers, no big deal."

Mr. Stark hummed, continuing to tinker. After a moment, Peter curled his knees to his chest and continued.

"...Do you ever just...want to stop, just for a little while? Take a moment and breathe without having to worry about power or responsibility and just...I don't know, be normal? Probably not, you're Mr. Stark. Why would you ever want--"

He cut off as an arm curled around his shoulders, tugging him roughly into Mr. Stark's side. For some reason the hug brought an ache to his chest, sharper but somehow more bearable than the Weight. He held his breath as Tony held him close, pressing a kiss onto the top of his head.

"It's gonna be okay, kid. You're gonna be okay."

Peter blinked and suddenly he wasn't in the workshop anymore. Instead, he rubbed the haze out of his eyes to see the warm walls of Aunt May's apartment, a quilt draped over him and lightsabers flashing on the muted television in front of him. A rustle caught his attention and he turned as Aunt May slunk back into the living room, carrying a fresh bowl of popcorn. She smiled apologetically when she caught him watching. "Sorry, I hope I didn't wake you up."

"No, it's fine. I didn't mean to fall asleep."

She plopped down next to him, tugging him into her side and smacking a kiss on his temple. He pretended to cringe away, fighting a smile, and she held on tighter. 

"Do you want to call it a night? We can stop if you're tired." She murmured into his hair.

"No, I'm good. Let's keep going."

She kissed his hair again, hug tightening, and unmuted the movie. "Obi-Wan says it'll make him more powerful, but all he does as a ghost is stand there!"

Laughing weakly, Peter settled more firmly into her side and tried to focus on the movie. The ache remained from the dream, but for the moment her presence helped soften the hurt just a little.

It was going to be okay.


End file.
